Freedom Is Never Free
by Literacyftw
Summary: "How does it feel, Malfoy, to have tortured your classmate?"
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

"_It's me on my own. Helpless, hurting, hell."_

_(*Fin) - Anberlin_

A soft smile formed on Hermione's lips as she stood on the tips of her toes to reach the very top of the bookshelf. Her hand delicately traced the books with her thin hands as though they would disappear in any moment. Books. They were her treasures. Books of any subject.

Anything.

Knowledge.

She was a curious person. Naturally curious. She wanted to learn anything and everything she could about anything and everything that existed. Existed being the key word. Though she was friends with Luna, she did not have the desire to learn about the nonexistent animals and beliefs that Luna was so fond about. She was the exact opposite of her eccentric friend, Luna Lovegood. While Luna had a fondness for animals that were never seen and of false truths, Hermione enjoyed reading about the history-and making sure the history was from a credible source. It wouldn't do well to know something that wasn't true.

Yet, despite being the top student of her year, she wasn't the best wizard or witch. She knew spells. She knew more spells than anybody else in her year. Her love of books brought about a new world of magic and she memorized all that she could. This love of books, or knowledge, was her downfall. In eagerness to read more and more-she never practiced the spells. She used the spells she was comfortable with-but that would have to change.

The book she was searching for would be the first step in the change.

The war was coming. It could be any day now-or it could be in some time. All those spells that Hermione knew...she would need to know how to yield them which was why she was buying the spell book that had the most up to date list of jinxes and defending spells, for her two best friends Harry and Ron.

Harry, being Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and Ron, being Ron Weasley. Just Ron. The loyal friend of the super hero. And she was Hermione Granger-the know-it-all Muggleborn who was the supplier of knowledge when things went wrong-which they often did.

The group had a knack for trouble-but it was something that brought them together. It was what made them a family.

Her hand grasped the large green book that she was looking for and grabbed the two extra copies. "Found them!" she exclaimed to Harry and Ron who rolled their eyes are her in return. A light laugh came from Hermione as she walked over to them to pay for the large books that would no doubt would go unread.

"Hermione," Ron whined as she handed him one of the large green text books and the other to Harry who mouthed a sarcastic thanks but there was a tone of gratefulness in his bright green eyes. "You know I'm not going to read it," he proclaimed as Hermione paid for the two books, ignoring the protests of Ron which were getting more annoying as they continued walking around the shop. "I'm just going to ask you-"he said as he was cut off by Harry's laughing voice.

The green eyes sparkled with amusement. It wasn't often that they were seen that cheerful. "Ron. You know Hermione is stubborn. It is likely she will make us write essays on them," he cheerfully said as he picked up a book off the shelf and then returned it just as quickly as he took it out. "Besides. You never know, Ron..." he ended with a serious tone.

The trio went silent as they continued to browse the store awaiting their escort to the next store. It had taken months to organize this simple trip to Diagon Alley. They were to spend twenty minutes in each shop and then depart for the next stop with Aurors and Order of the Phoenix members littered around the shop and escorting them as well. It was top security. It was very annoying-and it was to keep them all safe and together.

"Oh! Look!" Hermione exclaimed rushing to the front of the store to where a book displayed had gone unnoticed. "Harry, Ron! It's the new book by Lockheart!" she whispered with excitement. It was his autobiography of his adventures in St. Mungo's. Running ahead of the boys who were everything but eagerly running to the display, she began skimming the pages of the book filled with gibberish.

The boys laughed at her obvious eagerness and it seemed like old times. The times when they weren't nearly dying every week. When they weren't on the Death Eater's kill list. "Hermione. Come on," Harry laughed at her, motioning her to come and follow them from across the room. "The Order is just about-"

Dark ashy smoke filled the room with a deafening loud crash as the glow of red fire filled the bookshop. "Harry!" Hermione screamed as she lost slight of Ron and Harry who were across the room a minute ago. No. No. This wasn't happening. They had planned this. They were supposed to be safe. "Ron!" she yelled trying to hear some type of reply in the crashing and the laugher and shouts from the Death Eaters who were attempting to find Harry.

Hermione dropped to her knees where the smoke was less dense and could see the feet of people gathering the in the center. Death Eaters. She crawled on her knees through the bookshelf, attempting to see the worn brown shoes of Ron and the Converse style shoes of Harry. Yet, nothing. She could see nothing behind the safety of the bookcase.

She looked up and noticed the smoke beginning to lighten. That would be the chance to escape. Would that be the right choice though? Harry and Ron...had they already left the building in hopes that Hermione would have done the same?

Yes.

It was what they had talked about months before. Save yourself and get to the safe point.

Yet, through the crackling of the fire and the shouts of the Death Eaters, she heard Ron's terrified voice come through the smoke on the other side of the store, "Hermione!" Hermione quickly left the safety of the large bookcase and ran past the cluster of Death Eaters, somewhat hidden by the dark smoke that was slowly disappearing.

"Stupefy!" a loud but low voice yelled at her. She quickly dodged the jet of red light that was directed towards her. Quickly, she hid behind the bookshelf closest to her and tried to make her way to the next one without getting caught. She took a deep breath as she heard footsteps run quickly towards her. She heard the swift moving air that was starting to drop books around her in hopes of getting her to reveal her position or cause an injury in hopes of stopping her from moving away from the surrounding Death Eaters. Quickly, as she heard the sound of burning wood beginning to fall she took the chance and ran through the maze of the shelves. She looked around trying to find signs of Ron and Harry who were also running for their lives through this store, or possibly the streets of Diagon Alley.

She saw another stunning spell barely miss her as Death Eaters sent book shelves flying through the store. She ran faster, as fast as she could but she knew she wasn't like Harry or Ron. They played Quidditch. They could run. What could she do? She could read. She could study. She knew spells that could help her but she was too afraid that she would fail. She looked behind her and shot the same spell back at the Death Eater. "Stupefy!" she yelled and smiled as the Death Eater fell and a pile of books start to bury him.

"Ron! Harry!" she yelled, in hopes of finding them still in the store and not in the streets of Diagon Alley. She turned the corner, and saw a group of Death Eaters in the center of the store, seeming to be regrouping and awaiting new orders. She quickly crouched down in hopes that she couldn't be seen.

"Take the Mudblood. Find her. Forget about Potter and Weasley-they have escaped. The girl is the only one left. Look only for the girl now," he heard the cool and short tone of Lucius Malfoy. She shuddered as she heard that, yet a surge of hope filled her. Ron and Harry had escaped. It was possible to escape...But their determination. She was the only one left. They weren't looking for three now-only her...No. She wouldn't go with them! She would fight! The idea of being kidnapped…the idea of having Harry fall into a trap because of her…She didn't want to think about that idea.

As the Death Eaters moved away from each other, she took this as her chance to run into the streets of Diagon Ally where Harry and Ron would have ran. She quickly ran to the door, looking both ways and keeping her body low in hopes that no one saw her—but the cold eyes of Lucius Malfoy caught her. It seemed Lucius Malfoy was keeping a look out at the back door. She heard the stunner head in her direction and looked at who had sent it. The cold eyes kept her frozen and the stunner sent her falling to the ground unconscious, frozen in time.


	2. Chapter 2

A Nasty Spot

Hermione sat on the ground, scrubbing the floors with a small rag. She wanted her wand. She sat there and huffed a piece of curly hair away from her face. This was stupid. She wasn't some house elf! She was a person! Even a house elf shouldn't be treated this way! Treated like she was a dog, something that could be beaten into submission—she wouldn't tolerate that.

She had been in this prison for a little over a week. She didn't know the exact date, but she had her guesses. Her prison was the basement of this grand home. Too big for the small family that was being housed here. She could see why Voldemort would want to make it his headquarters. Inside the basement was her small room. It had a small closed off bathroom and then the main room, though rather small, held nothing except a thin blanket that she used as some protection against the cold air. The room was dark, there was no real source of light—save for the artificial light that was outside the door at all times, but she liked it better that way. In the darkness the room didn't look as small. It didn't look like the prison it was-well, it didn't look as much like the prison it was.

How she just wanted to have her wand! She just…she just wanted to have some control of the situation. She was nothing. She had no sense of power or control. She just had the will and determination that made her a Gryffindor. Yet, that wasn't much. If she had a wand she could probably escape. No, she could escape. If she had her wand she could heal the bruises that were forming all over her body due to her attempt at escape a few days ago.

Unconsciously she reached and touched just below her eye lightly. There was a bruise on her cheek bone from where she was treated rather roughly as she had tried to run away the first time. Lucius Malfoy had seen it that she would not escape in the future. Why, he even thought by punishing and working her, she would slowly come into his submission. Clearly, he didn't know she was a Gryffindor and was just about as stubborn as any Slytherin would be.

The only person she had not seen, in what she assumed was Malfoy Manor, was Draco Malfoy. Did he know that his enemy was locked away in the basement being tortured because she would not share information about where his other enemy was? Did he know that a classmate of his was being tortured by his father? She wondered if he would even care. She didn't think he would…but she wanted to believe he had a heart. Which was something that his father didn't have.

Pouring some water on the dark wooden floor, Hermione stared at her pale reflection. How long had it been since she had seen the sunlight? Her heart ached as she looked into a unknown reflection.

It was odd to see the bruised cheek that was turning a deep purple red color that stood out even more against her pale skin. Her healthy glow was fading. She was fading away into her prison. She knew she was. She wasn't as strong as she was just days ago. She wasn't the fire spirited Gryffindor who had punched the arrogant Draco Malfoy in the face back in the third year.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips. The sound was foreign to her. How long had it been since she had felt the rush of happiness inflate her heart and let a small smile stretch on her bruised face.

"They say laughing to yourself is the first sign of insanity," a cool voice filled the room which sent chills down Hermione's spine and quickly caused her small smile to fade away as she kept her gaze away from the familiar voice of Draco Malfoy. A cruel chuckle left his pale mouth as he walked closer to the girl who wouldn't look at him. "Already gone insane have you, Granger?" he asked walking past her with a superior stride.

Hermione clenched her fists against the handle of the cold steel pail as the condescending voice filled the room, "Clearly _you_ have," Hermione stiffly replied, her voice cold and just as condescending as his was.

So, she did have some fire left in her. Leave it to the young Malfoy to cause her to rebel in every way possible. "And if you don't mind, Malfoy. I have things to do," she snapped at him, standing up and attempting to leave his presence before she lost her temper and did something she would regret.

His strong grip on her upper arm stopped her in her tracks. Using his strength to his advantage he turned the girl to him, a smirk plastered on his face until he saw the battered face he was not expecting to see. For some reason, seeing the girl, no, a classmate, in his house against her will...

The cold grey eyes that bored into Hermione's anger filled eyes softened for just a moment before hardening once more. "So, it would seem," he muttered to her, letting go of her arm out of the disgust her bruised cheek and arm brought him.

Relief filled Hermione as the pressure on her arm lifted. "Yes. Now, if you don't mind, I would take it as a kindness if you would leave me alone," she snapped at him, turning around and heading to the opposite side of the room to start scrubbing the dark floor once more. She listened closely to hear if Malfoy had followed and he hadn't.

Silence filled the tense room as Hermione went back down on her hands and knees and began scrubbing the floor once more.

Boredom. Annoyance. Anger.

The feelings swam through Hermione as the interested and curious eyes of Draco Malfoy bore into her back and attempted to sneak into her soul to figure her out. She wanted to yell at him to stop-but it would be no good to anger him in that way because here, in his own house...when she didn't have any way of protecting herself. His voice ran through her head as she gritted her teeth in anger. The voice was cruel. It did feel like he was superior to her.

That was a lie though. This ferret wasn't better than her. If anything, she was higher than him. She had better grades. She had a place in the world that he was trying to destroy. That his 'friends' were destroying. She rolled honey eyes with annoyance and put the blasted rag down. Turning to Malfoy, she glared at him. "What do you want Malfoy?" obviously taking the anger out on him. Not that she minded too much.

"Come to gloat?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, staring at him for a moment before looking away and starting to clean the floor once more. She had to admit, it did look a bit better.

"Because I'm sure what you have to say, I've already heard from your dear friends," she mockingly snapped at him, shooting him a glare with narrow eyes. She shouldn't be speaking to him like this. She knew that, but she couldn't help it. Old habits die hard.

In all honesty, she didn't plan on changing. She wasn't going to break. She wasn't going to stop being herself. She was going to fight things. She wouldn't break. She would stay the stubborn Gryffindor that she always would be. She was a fighter. She wasn't a coward like Malfoy was. She had her own thoughts. She would make her own choices.

Yet, she was scared. She was scared that Malfoy had a wand. That he wouldn't be afraid of doing anything to her. All those years in school. All the years she had heard him wish terrible things upon her- it could all happen now.

"No need to gloat, Granger," Malfoy mocked as he took a few steps closer to her. "After all, you are quite aware-"

Hermione quickly cut him off with an angry snap and glare sent in his direction, "I'm aware of my situation, Malfoy!" She would be idiotic to no be aware of how my danger she was in.

Draco's eyes glared at her in return. Her fire...her passion was surprising. Normally after a few days of interrogation...they were never the same. They were lost in their own mind or dead because they had revealed what was needed to know. Though he didn't wish death to Granger or any really terrible ill will- he did believe she needed to know her place in the world.

And her place was not as high as she thought, or acted, like it was.

"Then you better start acting like you do," he scoffed at her as he surveyed the floor that was cleaner than he had ever seen it-but he would never let her know that. If he had his way-or rather, if the Dark Lord won, this is what Mudbloods would be doing. They would be serving the Purebloods. The Purebloods they had somehow stole magic from.

How the logistics of that worked out, Draco did not know. But he knew it was true. It had to be. People weren't just born with magic. They had to get it from somewhere. But the question of how his ancestors received magic never crossed his ignorant mind.

Hermione remained silent as the words Draco had spoken to her sank deep into her skin. How true he was. She needed to act like she wasn't right, even though she was. She needed to survive and that meant not causing the Death Eaters to lash out in anger due to her short temper and need to shot rash and logical answers at them.

"The floor looks actually clean," Draco said after a few minutes of watching Hermione scrub the floor with such intensity it was obvious her anger was being released through each scrub of the floor. He enjoyed angering her. It was like a game.

Games were for children. It was something he never really got to have because of the war. It was something he doubted even she had, especially after being Potter's friend. "Too bad your Mudblood germs are all over the floor...I suppose it will never get clean," he muttered as he walked away to mockingly survey the floor from across the room.

Hermione kept her mouth shut as she swore under her breath. The damn ferret! Did he have no heart? Did he not care that a classmate, a fellow classmate, was being tortured right before his eyes? Did he not care that she was likely to die in his house and her friends would know nothing about it?

Did her friends even know she was alive?

"Oi! Mudblood. Come here," Draco called to her, looking at her with interest as a smirk crawled on his pale pointed face. Hermione looked at him with annoyed honey eyes as she chose to ignore him-but she couldn't ignore his physical characteristics that had changed over the summer. His skin was paler. His eyes were sunken and he looked...ill. He didn't look well. Yet, he had kept up his strength. She wouldn't admit to it, but beside his ill facial features, he looked good. His strength was obvious underneath his form fitting dark turtle neck and dark pats.

Unlike Harry or Ron who were tall and lanky, Malfoy was tall and muscular. Harry and Ron were no doubt just as strong as Malfoy was...but they hid their bodies so well. Malfoy did not.

She rolled her eyes and returned scrubbing the floor, ignoring the blonde across the room. Did he think she would just listen to him? He wasn't his father. He had no control over her. "I said, come here, Mudblood," he snapped at her, his tone now threatening. Hermione continued scrubbing but could feel her body tense as his tone became more serious.

"Malfoy," Hermione calmly started as she stopped scrubbing and kept her eyes on the ground.

"I said come-" Draco started but Hermione cut him off as she spoke louder and turned around him.

"You don't-"Hermione saw that Draco had someone moved to tower over her. Her voice faltered slightly as she lowered her tone. "...control me, Malfoy."

Draco smirked and walked away from the girl, wondering why he enjoyed angering her so. "Don't I, Granger?" he asked, not bothering to even face her as he continued to demean her. "You are a prisoner in the Dark Lord's headquarters. Everyone has control over you, except yourself. You have no control over anything."

Glancing back at the girl, he noted her dark glare at him. He was right. She knew he was right. "Now, I said. Come. Here," he snapped at her, meeting her glare with just as much anger and hate.

He had no reason to call her over. He wasn't here in this room for any type of mission. He just...He just wanted to annoy her. To anger her. To make her life even more miserable than she already was. Did this make him a terrible person? Yes. But that was because everybody painted him the villain. He would give them what they wanted, because it was what he wanted. There was no point in changing. He had written his fate in stone. As did Granger.

Hermione gritted her teeth together in anger as she picked up the pail and walked over to Malfoy with an angry huff. "What do you want?" she softly said, anger oozing from her soft voice.

"I want many things, Granger," he said as he walked around the girl, whispering in her ear with a cruel smirk on his face. "I want Potter to pay for everything he has done to my fath-"

Cutting him off quickly, Hermione turned around to face him, dropping the pail with a loud thud as a few droplets of water spilt out of it. "He has done nothing that the monster hasn't -"Draco quickly gripped her arm and pushed her against the wall in an outburst of anger.

"Deserved?" he angrily spat at her, his eyes dancing with hostility. "He deserved nothing! He is a good person-"

This time it was Hermione's turn to cut him off once more. "A good person, Malfoy?" she yelled at him, pulling away but found she couldn't escape his "A good person who has killed people that I care about!" a suppressed sob escaped Hermione's lips as she looked away from Malfoy. "You father has tortured people!"

"He tortured you."

Draco's voice was soft as he loosened his grip on her arm which he finally realized was bruising her already bruised arm. His cold eyes softened as he looked at her bruised arm and then up to her turned face which still revealed the purple bruising. He reached up unconsciously and turned her head to meet her eyes. The honey eyes that normally held strength and passion were glossed over with tears and fear. Out of instinct he brushed her bruised cheek with sympathy and the interest as though he had never seen someone who had been tortured. Hermione softly hissed in pain and turned her head away from him once more. "Curtesy of your father," Hermione bitterly replied, pulling away from him but was stopped as something snapped in Malfoy that caused him to pull her back and push her against the wall.

"You deserved it," he snapped, his eyes and voice hardening, the traces of sympathy gone. "You shouldn't have tried to escape."

Hermione scoffed as she gave up trying to fight Malfoy's tight grip. "Your father doesn't control me...I won't be held prisoner in a place-"

Draco slammed his hand against the wall right next to her head causing Hermione to wince in fear. An angry sigh escaped the young man as frustration filled him. "This isn't a game, Granger. This isn't Hogwarts-"

"I'm aware it isn't, Malfoy," Hermione bitterly replied, looking away from his eyes that were filled with the raw anger she was afraid to invoke. As much as she wanted to fight him with her words- as much as she wanted to have the upper hand in the situation...She didn't. She wouldn't. Not without a wand or someway of being able to overpower him.

Draco laughed bitterly as he pulled her off the wall and pushed her to the ground where he towered over her. "Then start acting like it, Granger," he snapped at her, bending down to her level to mock her further. "You can't win. My father will control you-" Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Draco's cruel glare at her kept her mouth shut and allowed him to continue. "-and you will die here. You will die a nobody, Granger."

Grabbing her arm once more, he lifted her off the ground and shoved the pail into her arms, ignoring the defeated and hurt look across the Gryffindor's face. "So, stop trying to fight what is to come. Give in and tell us what you know and maybe your death will be painless," he snapped at her. "My father will be in here soon to get the answers...it would be wise to tell him," he offered as an afterthought with a slightly nicer tone.

Tell his father? She couldn't do such a thing. Not to Harry. Not to Ron. Not to the Order. She knew secrets about Voldemort that could kill him! She knew a way to kill him! She was one of the few people who knew how and she would not spill that secret to the enemies! She would die first...

"Oh, and Granger?" he asked, meeting Hermione's dark gaze with a lighthearted humorous one. "Clean the damn floor," he mocked her, staring at deep honey eyes as he spit on the floor in front of him. He smirked at her and looked down to the floor where he had just spit. "You missed a spot."

Anger filled Hermione's veins. How the boy irritated her. She wasn't his bloody servant! She wasn't his house-elf! She was a classmate! They were the same age...

"You're right..."Hermione coyly replied but was with Draco's back turn he could not see the mischievous glint in the Gryffindor's golden eyes. "I did miss a rather nasty spot," she replied with great sarcasm that caused even Draco to turn around just as the pail of water was thrown in his general direction.

A short, but true joy filled, laughter came from Hermione's bruised body. How the magic of laughter healed her. She felt her spirit...her passion. It seemed to all come back. How long had it been since she had laughed...and truly laughed? Sadly, the hate filled eyes of Draco Malfoy did not agree.

Hermione quickly found the cruel eyes of the young Malfoy and his wand that was pointing right at her heart.

_"Crucio."_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Hello all! I hope you have enjoyed this second part of the story! Let me know what you think or if you have any questions/concerns or fun facts!  
>Enjoy!<strong>

**-Arwen **


	3. Chapter 3

A Cockroach:

"_The will to win is worthless if you don't have the will to prepare."_

"Crucio."

Seeing the pale boy swell with anger filled her with fear. She couldn't help but become terrified of the young adult. The look on his face. The pure anger and hate that was radiating off him. How could someone she knew for so long be consumed with so much hate? Could the hate be purely directed towards her? Or was he finally lashing out and she received the end of it?

Her thought process didn't last long as she saw the yet of light come towards her. The pain. Blinding pain. It was icy and hot all at the same time. It was consuming her. Eating alive and tearing apart her flesh. Piercing pain filled Hermione's veins as she felt herself crumple underneath the fury of the curse. It seemed as though time stood still. Nothing else was present except the pain. The pain that Draco Malfoy was causing her. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. She couldn't think straight. The only thought that was running across her head was the need to not scream. She didn't want to scream. She wanted to appear strong. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of hearing her in pain.

But she could feel her body. It was jerking uncontrollably. Her back arced in pain as she tried to find some position that wasn't causing her body to become filled with this invisible fire that was burning her blood. Yet, every time she moved to find a more comfortable position, her body screamed at her to stop yet nothing listened. She had no control over what was happening.

All she knew was the fire pain that was eating her alive.

And finally, she couldn't help it anymore. She didn't know when she started screaming-sobbing. But soon, she heard her own sobs and screams echoing through the room. Yet, not words came out. Even through pain, it appeared her Gryffindor stubbornness was still intact.

Some of it.

Her screams tore at him. No. He wasn't supposed to do this. He didn't want to cause people pain-but for some reason he felt justified. The girl threw water at him! He had every reason to! She was a Mudblood and a Gryffindor-but she was a person.

No. He mustn't think like that. He couldn't show pity to the girl.

Yet, the screams did tear at him. The sobs of the girl and her twisting body. The way she tried to stop the pain-

He pulled his wand away from her body and stopped the curse but her cries didn't stop. He knew. The body didn't stop pain. It would still burn. It would still hurt. It would hurt for days. The pain would dull...but it would still be there. The body would ache. She would...She would be in pain.

Pain that he caused.

"You're a monster," Hermione softly cried, not bothering to look at him as she sobbed on the floor, attempting not to move and cause more pain. Her body burned. It was beyond the pain she imagined. This was different. His curse...it hurt more than his fathers. His honestly hurt her. She was a classmate! She was in his year! She was a person just like he was...

She had watched him grow into this person and had done nothing to stop it. She didn't even try.

She was right, though. Draco admitted that to himself. He was a monster. She was right. He had no heart. He was cruel. Cold. Heartless-The definition of a monster. He listened to her sobs and cries. It was as though she forgot her enemy was in the room. Her cries reflected her defeated attitude. It revealed that the strong Gryffindor that Draco always saw was capable of being broken-or being defeated.

"You're a worthless coward, Malfoy," Hermione whispered in her raspy voice that was hoarse from her screams that had echoed through the dark room just moments before. Her heart beat quickly and felt as though it was going to burst out of her chest. Her body trembled from the after effects of the curse as she sat up against the wall.

Draco's fists clenched as he heard the broken words of the Mudblood actually effect him. It angered him. He was no coward. He was a monster-but he was no coward. The Mudblood had no right to call him that. She had no right at all.

She had no rights in this world filled with magic and wonder. It was Mudbloods like her! They were causing this world to become dark and filled with hate! If there weren't any Mudbloods...Then Voldemort would not have tried to take control.

It was her fault. She was one of the sources of this dark world.

His harsh voice rang over the girl's quiet cries. "I'm not a coward," he snapped at her as he began walking towards her to tower over her and mock her with his superior attitude. Yet, despite of his want to appear more powerful than her, he felt a small twinge of pity. He looked at her quickly before hardening his gaze once more. What he saw, in that small moment, was what he feared to see.

He saw a person. A person in pain. A person who was hurt...who he hurt.

Hermione heard his hard footsteps come closer to her, but she couldn't will herself to move. It was too much pain. His father's curse was nothing like his. The only person's curse that was worse than Draco was Voldemort and Bellatrix. Was Draco truly this hateful? Did he really hate her enough to cause her so much pain?

"I'm no coward," Draco snapped at her as his shadow loomed over her. Why did he want to scare her so? The justification of being a Mudblood were among some of his thoughts-but still. Nothing. It didn't feel like he was justified to really cause her pain. To really want her dead...He was no monster.

He couldn't be like Voldemort.

Yet, with the look of loathing that the Mudbl-That Granger was sending him...He couldn't tell who she was looking at. It was, no doubt, the same look she would give Voldemort when he came to question her, if he already hadn't.

Hermione's honey eyes glistened with unshed tears and she stared at him with hate in her eyes as she shakily stood up. Her legs felt like gelatin. They shook. Her body was shaking. It was protesting her sudden movement. It was protesting her very existence. She slowly turned her back to him, feigning confidence and picked up the pail that she had just thrown at the blonde headed boy. Turning back to him, her facial features turned cold. It was a gaze that could rival Malfoy's. "I see one. Do I need to clean your mirror so you can see-"

Draco's anger swelled in his as she continued to defy him. As she continued to have the strength to mock the person with a wand. He quickly slapped the pail out of her hand which sent it hitting the ground with a loud clang.

Golden eyes flickered with fear as the boy in front of her lashed out. She took a step back away from him, but was quickly stopped as his strong and tight grip pushed her against the wall behind her. Her head hit the wall with a painful thud causing her to softly cry out in pain. Yet, her stiffed cry was ignored by the boy so driven to keep the feeling of anger coursing through his veins. "You don't get it? Do you Granger?" he snapped at her, tightening his grip on her upper arm that kept her trapped against the wall. He was trying to continue to scare. He was trying to get her to understand that he was in charge. That she had no control.

He needed her to not anger his father.

As much as he hated her. As much as she annoyed the living hell out of him...He didn't want her dead. He just wanted her to understand that he was better than her.

"This is not a game," he growled under his breath as he kept a tight grip on her arm. He watched the girl try to look away but he quickly grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. She needed to understand this-the easy way. This way, the easy way, was better than the hard way. The hard way involved Voldemort.

"I'm aware-"

Draco cut her off once more with a hateful look sent in her general direction, "I have magic, Granger. Are you aware of that?" he replied, his voice raising slightly as he raised his hand and pressed it against her cheek. He felt the trembling girl through his tight grip and half doubted what he was doing-yet the half that told him he was justified was winning. She shouldn't have magic. This was the way it should be. No magic. He held the magic. He held the power.

"Correction. You have a wand, Malfoy. I have magic-" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly as she became aware of how serious his anger was. It wasn't the same anger he displayed to her while they were in school. He truly believed he had the right. He truly believed that she was better than him.

He moved his wand from her cheek quickly, causing a small cut to appear across her cheek as it began to shine red from blood. Hermione moved her hand up to her cut cheek and grimaced as she felt the sticky substance that was just barely leaking out. "You have nothing, Granger," he muttered to the girl as he turned his back and began walking towards the door.

Yet the stubborn Gryffindor stopped him.

"How does it feel, Malfoy?" she asked, her voice cold and shaking as she tried to calm herself and not to let the pain that she was in be evident. Her hands shook with anger and hatred as her honey eyes filled with tears of frustration that she tried to keep inside. Yet, a few escaped. A few left a shining trail down her bruised and bleeding cheek. "How does it feel to see classmate being tortured?" she asked, hoping the question would hurt him more than she was hurting. She hoped that the question would get him to question everything he was doing. She hoped the question would make him feel sorry for torturing her.

A small sob escaped her lips as she tried not to break eye contact with the cold eyes that did not seem effected by the hateful, yet hurt, eyes of the girl in front of him. "How does it feel, Malfoy, to have tortured your classmate?" she finally asked him after a moment of silence from the boy, her voice raising in anger and her pain was obvious in her strained voice.

Hermione watched the boy carefully. Did he not care?

A sickening smirk filled his pale face. Hermione felt her heart drop. No. No. He couldn't...He couldn't insult her- "How does it feel to kill a cockroach, Mudblood?" he asked, his voice low and cruel as he took two quick steps to her as to look her properly in the eyes. His grey were unchanged as he was just inches from her bruised face.

He could see her eyes breaking into tears, yet still saw the fight that she held. She was stronger than he thought. Yet-she was breaking. She was tearing up. Her lips trembled as she tried not to let the comment effect her. She tried to not let it bother her-but it did. The way her hands tensed and her dark eyebrows furrowed. The trembling lip and the shaky breaths that escaped her lips were obvious. She was afraid of him. She was fearful.

Yet, her eyes quickly changed. The anger and fury raised quickly and her honey eyes flashed with such hatred, Draco wasn't even aware that such rapid emotions were capable in the girl-but then he remember the punch from the third year. Ah yes. The punch.

"Did I anger you, Granger?" he taunted, keeping his space the same. He would see who won this battle. Who would move first? Who would be the weakest to leave the situation? "Did you finally realize that you can slowly be broken..."he taunted as he raised a hand to trace her bruised cheek but Hermione quickly swatted his hand away with an angry gaze.

She spat at his shoe. She didn't know what to do. She didn't understand what was going on anymore. It seemed everything was a fight for her life. A fight to prove herself. A fight to prove that she wouldn't just die. "I'm not going to break," she snapped, keeping his eye contact. "And I'm especially not going to break because of a little _cockroach _like-"

His hand quickly connected with her bruised cheek. The force of his slap sent the girl to the ground and also caused a cry to come from the broken girl. "I'm not a cockroach," he snapped at the girl on the ground who couldn't even find his gaze. She was too frightened.

"I'm not a coward."

Her body trembled as she tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to flood over her honey eyes. It wasn't that the slap hurt-it was the fear, the anger, the frustration...it was over whelming her. It was driving her insane.

"It would do well to learn your place, Granger. Learn it before my father-or the Dark Lord, has to get involved," he warned her without a hint of pity or remorse for the beaten girl that was sobbing and being held in his basement. He didn't want to show pity to the girl who was scrubbing the floors of a vacant room in the house just to make her feel like nothing. He didn't want to show pity to the girl who was sobbing. Sobbing because of him...

Yet, that didn't effect him. He didn't care. He had his own troubles. He stepped over the girl as he exited the room, not even glancing at her crying body.

Hearing the door slam, Hermione tried to keep the tears at bay, but once she heard the cruel footsteps of Malfoy slowly distancing her cries became louder and more out of control. She could hear her sobs echo through the large room.

How did this happen?

Why did she allow him to...begin to break her?

The thought horrified her. How could she allow that the happen? She was the strong Gryffindor. She was the symbol of Gryffindor. She was Harry Potter's best friend. Strong and brave...

Yet, here she was lying on the ground...crying.

Slowly, her crying stopped and she allowed herself to calm down. She couldn't allow herself to fall like this. She had to remain strong. Her mind raced with ideas of how to escape. Each idea less likely to be successful than the other. But she couldn't give up. She needed to get out somehow.

One thing was certain, she wasn't going to die here.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**I'm sorry it took so long! In the process of moving, my computer was killed and so I had to re-write this chapter and I can honestly say...it ended up differently than how I planned it. Which is good! Don't get me wrong. **

**Well, the next chapter is all planned out, so it should be up in the next week or two! **

**I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think or if you have any plans of what should happen next! **

**-Arwen**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Start of a Battle**

"_Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ._"

Draco left the room quickly as he tried to ignore the sobs that followed him through the halls. With a flick of his wand, the door locked behind him and it seemed, only then, did he understand what he had truly done. Running a hand through his blonde hair he continued walking away from the door as the sobs sent chills up his spine. He cursed at himself for cursing Granger. Sure, she deserved it...He just didn't want to do it.

Not then at least. He wanted to show her...

He didn't even know. All he knew was that he didn't want to show her the hate he had just plainly demonstrated. Despite his want to not show her the fear, he did. He would have to live with the choice and it wasn't a burdening choice after a moment of thought.

Like he justified earlier, she deserved it.

He was doing her a favor. He was teaching her a lesson. Teaching her who was in control. He was teaching her to beware his father and to watch her tongue. The pity he had felt for those few minutes were gone and were now replaced with feelings of hate and annoyance.

If she was to keep up this behavior she would get stuck in the basement and never get let out. It was only due to her...celebrity status in the house, was she able to leave the basement. Of course, she would only leave the basement to then get locked into another room to complete a meaningless task, but it was a different change of scenery none the less.

However, despite his justification-he was still furious! Granger was infuriating! She had spirit! She would not give in! She had been in the basement for a week with nothing more than his father and the Dark Lord as company-and that was on her first day! It had been nothing but solitary confinement for the past six days. Today was the first day she was allowed into a different room. Nothing more than an elf who fed her once a day...and even then, Granger didn't eat much. She didn't trust the food.

She wasn't stupid. He knew that.

Yet, this stupidity would get her killed. It was going to sentence her to a quicker death. If she was going to keep her secrets, then her life would be up for forfeit. Depending on what information she would give the Dark Lord (Draco doubted she would say much) she would be allowed, at lease he believed, a chance to...redeem herself. Either way, death was the only sentence. The Dark Lord was not going to let Harry Potter's best friend escape-not without something truly great in return.

He headed towards the kitchens to get a cup of tea to soothe his nerves and troubling thoughts. The idea of Granger dying in his house...While he hated the girl, he didn't want her death to be in his house. It didn't matter though-he had no say in the matter.

"Well, Draco," he heard his father's voice come from the kitchens where he had so hoped to find some solace in, "How was the Mudblood?" he asked cooly as he looked at his son with an interest upon his face. His son was in there for a bit. Thirty minute tops, yet his son looked tortured. It was as though he was...taken aback at what he saw.

Draco sighed before narrowing his eyes at his father, "The Mudblood is...spirited. She is a Gryffindor, Father," he muttered before using his wand to conjure a cup of tea that was calling his name. How the warm liquid would soothe his worries. How it would relax him...

There was a moment of silence between the father and son before Lucius broke the silence. "You're dripping wet," he stated with an amused smirk upon his lips and a twinkling enjoyment hidden in his cruel eyes.

"Well observed." Draco snapped at him, his patience running a bit thin as he replayed what had happened in the spare room. He left her sobbing on the ground. Did he really effect her that much? Was she truly that...broken? The thought surprised him. To think of the fearless Gryffindor Lioness as broken was something unheard of. She was, as much as Draco hated to admit it, the embodiment of the spirit of Gryffindor.

His father raised an eyebrow, but dropped the questions. "Be ready in thirty minutes. The Dark Lord will be arriving to question Granger. You are to collect the girl. Your attendance is expected," he informed his son with a curious gaze. His son had seen many...tortures. Including one of his professors-but never a classmate. It would be a terrible thing to say, but Lucius was curious to see how his son would react.

But then again, Lucius was a terrible person.

Draco sat in the silence that filled the air of the warm kitchen as his father left without another word. It was comforting-the silence, that is. The warmth of a kitchen...it was like love. It was that feeling of everything being made and coming together. It was the biggest cliche but it was something only Draco could feel in the kitchen. It was something he wished he felt more often.

Yet, in this blissful feeling, time seemed to go by quicker. He heard the familiar 'pops' of people apparating into his home. His heart clenched inside his chest as Draco stood up and waved his wand for the cup to be cleaned and set itself back into the cupboard for its next use.

Heading back towards the spare room which Granger was cleaning, his thoughts ran wild with his imagination. He didn't want to see her get tortured. He didn't want her to be even more hurt than she already was. He didn't want her to die.

Yet those thoughts were the complete opposite of the ones which he had just justified. Those were the thoughts that went against everything he had been taught to know. The way he was raised. It was right. Wasn't it?

Of course it was.

It was the way it has been for thousands of years. It was the way it should be now.

Yet, as he reached the locked door, he paused for a moment and pressed his ear against it. There were no more cries coming from the room. There was no sound. Quickly, his mind thought of the worst possible event-she escaped. But how? She was, much to his displeasure, the brightest witch of his age. He opened the door, half expecting her to have some how escape, and a part of him, which he would never admit to, was hoping she had escaped.

Looking inside the room, he was surprised to see Granger looking out the window and towards the distant countryside. He remained quiet and leaned against the door in sheer fascination. He was fascinated at the passion in her eyes as she looked out through the dirty window and towards the country. There was a fire in her golden eyes that was growing as she stared out towards the sun and towards freedom.

Freedom. It was what she craved most. He knew this. He wasn't an idiot.

He watched her intently, and was about to call out to her to not touch the window, but didn't. She would learn it herself.

A sharp pain ran through Hermione's finger tips as she lightly touched the window that was the only barrier to the freedom that was mocking her. She gasped in pain and withdrew her hand in shock. So, they weren't lying. They would do anything to keep her miserable. Anything to make sure she didn't escape.

"I wouldn't touch the window again." Draco's voice filled the empty vast room which caused Hermione to look at the boy with anger and annoyance. Draco watched as she held her hand and looked at him with the utmost dislike.

It was a mutual feeling.

"How long have you been standing there?" she snapped, trying to keep her temper down. Sadly, she knew why he was here. She heard the Death Eaters apparate. She heard the dull sound of their laughter and their excitement. It was sickening.

Draco looked back at her with an equal vision of annoyance etched on his pointed face. "Long enough." He walked further in the room and towards the girl. He could see the look for slight fear on her bruised face. She knew what was to come. "The Dark Lord-"

Hermione cut him off, pretending to ignore the beginning of his second sentence as she moved away from him. Delay the inevitable. "And you didn't warn me?"

"Would you have listened?" he asked, his voice void of emotion. Hermione's face hardened and Draco watched as she turned her back on him. She had such nerve! She was acting as though she had full control of the situation. She didn't! She didn't have anything! "The Dark Lord demands your presence."

Hermione remained turn away, but she crossed her arms and stayed silent for a moment that filed the room with nothing but tension and hate. "You make it sound like I have a choice." Hermione's voice finally broke the silence, but Draco could hear the fear in her voice. Perhaps she was finally understanding her placement in the world. He continued to let her stand in the silence for a moment longer until he finally grew tired of it. The silent treatment would not guarantee her safety. He moved towards the girl and made a move to grab her upper arm to escort her to the opposite side of the manor where the Dark Lord would be waiting. Yet, as soon as he took a few steps closer to her, Hermione moved away quickly, her fear obvious in the quick steps she took in order to avoid Malfoy's grasp. "I believe, Granger, we have had this conversation before. This is not a game."

Hermione finally turned to Malfoy and glared at him. She couldn't plead to his father. Yet! She could plead to Malfoy in hopes of some type of...comforting words...hope...Anything! "Why are you doing this?" she asked, the outrage evident in her voice and eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you helping this...this..monster?" she asked, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"It is none of your business, Granger. Now come or I will be forced to use any means I need to bring you there," Draco replied, his voice full of hatred and coldness.

"Why?" Hermione's quiet voice seemed to echo through the room and struck Draco, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. It was the question of the century. Why? Because. Because it was right. Because the Dark Lord was right...and because the Dark Lord held the key to his family's safety.

Draco quickly advanced on the girl and grabbed her upper arm tightly. His cold grey eyes met her light golden ones. Hermione quickly looked away, fear coursing through her veins as his eyes flashed to the murderous hate she had seen right before he cursed her. Draco grabbed her chin and forced her gaze to meet his. He was, once again, surprised at the power and strength that still lived in the wounded girl-but he was almost amazed to see the fear that was slowly coming to the surface. "Listen, Granger. Listen well. This attitude of yours will get you killed-and not the quick way. Continue acting like you are the best in the world and the Dark Lord will take great pleasure in breaking you...and drawing each day out..." he paused to see Hermione's reaction and saw the reaction he had feared to see. Her gaze hardened with more anger and strength.

He sneered at the girl's power.

"Fine," he snapped back as he let go of the girl's chin and began dragging her out of the room. Hermione kept her body heavy and hard to pull. She wasn't going to make it easy to meet with Voldemort. After a few minutes of walking she could hear the excited whispered becoming louder. In a moment of panic, she pulled away from Malfoy and surprisingly escaped his grips.

Hermione landed on the ground and a surge of hope filled her. Was this it? Was this the moment when her freedom was just a fingertip's away...She quickly stood up and turned to run-but then felt the hard tip of a wand against her back. "I told you, Granger," Draco stated in an angry and annoyed tone, "that I would use any means necessary to retrieve you and I wasn't lying. Now move forward or else I will hold no sympathy for cursing you," he snapped, digging the wand harder into Granger's back.

"Would you ever hold sympathy?" Hermione quietly asked as she tried to ignore the fear that was flooding her thoughts and mind.

Draco heard the question and hated the doubt that filled him. He didn't hear the fear in her voice...just the power and courage he knew the girl was famous for. "Move."

Hermione stepped forward, her steps hesitant but not slow enough where she would need to be prodded in the back with a wand. She didn't need to be reminded who was in power. She hated the feeling of not being in control. She hated the feeling of being escorted around like...like a common criminal! She wasn't. It wasn't her fault she was Muggleborn.

There was nothing wrong with being a Muggleborn.

She felt the wand push her forward, and Hermione felt the surge of fear once more but it quickly faded slightly and was replaced with her stubborn attitude. Yet, the fear was still present-but so was the hope that there was possibility to escape. The two walked for a another minute of so in silent until Hermione did stop.

There in front of her were the people who wanted her dead; Bellatrix, Dolohov, Malfoy Senior, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle-the parents of her fellow classmates...the Death Eaters from the Ministry. How they all hated her...

Out of instinct, Hermione took a step back and met the point of Draco's wand once more. "Malfoy," she whispered, the fear evident in her voice. "Please..."she whispered, her voice barely even heard by Malfoy-who chose to ignore her pleads.

"Don't keep the Dark Lord waiting, Granger. It will only give him more reason to anger," he replied with, what Hermione heard was, a tiny bit of remorse, as he give her a small shove into the room of Death Eater's who were itching to see Harry Potter's best friend give up all the secrets.

They were mistaken.

Walking into the room, Hermione hardened her gaze to make it appear as though she wasn't afraid of her life. Though, she had to wonder, could the people-the monsters, in this room hear her heart pounding against her chest and echoing in her ears? Despite her heart pounding, she could still hear the cheers and yells.

"The Mudblood!"

"We got the girl!"

"Sing your secrets, Mudblood!"

It made her skin crawl. It was more intimidating than her first 'meeting' with Voldemort. There was more than one sadistic person in the room.

She felt herself being pushed to the center of the room and the circle of Death Eaters coming closer together. She looked around, her face showing little fear. The taunts and yells of Death Eaters suddenly became quiet as she felt the room grow cold.

Slowly she turned around and there in front of her, she saw the monster who was the reason for this madness. There were the red slit eyes of Voldemort...his pale complexion and snake like features...She didn't understand how he was able to make her blood stop cold.

"Ah, Miss Granger," Voldemort's whisper echoed through the great room as all the Death Eaters went completely silent as their beloved master spoke. "So," Voldemort paused as he seemed to chose his next word carefully. His eyes narrowed at the young girl in front of him. The girl who had aided Harry Potter's escape. The girl who had not given any answers earlier in the week. "...nice of you to join us."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

Hello all!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Not nearly as action packed as I thought it would be-but that is okay! The next chapter will be up soon. Unless I change my mind, I already have most of it already written!

So, tell me what you think. Thoughts, ideas, criticisms, recipes-anything!

Thanks for reading!  
>Until next time,<p>

Arwen


	5. Chapter 5

**A Promise:**

_"One must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for the journey."_

"Ah, Miss Granger," Voldemort's whisper echoed through the great room as all the Death Eaters went completely silent as their beloved master spoke. "So," Voldemort paused as he seemed to chose his next word carefully. His eyes narrowed at the young girl in front of him. The girl who had aided Harry Potter escape. The girl who had not given any answers earlier in the week. "...nice of you to join us."

Hermione's heart pounded as she heard the sadistic tone in Voldemort's terrible voice. How it stopped her blood cold. How it made her wish she was never born. How it made her wish...How it made her wish that she had given all of her secrets up earlier.

What ever pain she was about to experience-it wasn't worth keeping these secrets.

That thought quickly came to mind-which did stop Hermione cold. Her eyes darted quickly to Voldemort. Was that something he implanted in her mind? Yet, from the curious and impatient look that was etched on Voldemort's pale snake like face, she knew he did not do such a thing.

It as her.

It was a honest thought. A thought that was fueled with fear and worry. Filled with the worry that she wouldn't make it out alive. That she would never see her family ever again.

She was afraid that she would spill her secrets and tell all-and then die.

She was afraid of what Voldemort and his Death Eaters would do.

"I'm sorry that the same thing could not be said," she replied after a long moment of tense silence. The Death Eaters were hanging on each of their words. They were waiting to see who would win this first battle of words and wit. They were waiting to see Hermione lose control of her temper and give Voldemort what he wanted, which was an excuse to curse her and blame her for everything that was happening.

Voldemort was waiting to give her the options of telling all of her secrets and saving herself-or dying for her best friend in a war that they could not win.

She refused to believe this. They would win. They had hope! They had love! They had everything the Death Eater's didn't have. Yet, the Death Eaters had what they did not. They had power and control.

That was why they were in this war in the first place.

"Pity..."Voldemort whispered as the circle of Death Eaters tensed and began truly listening to the Master's tone. How it dripped with sarcasm and hate. How it dripped with frustration. It said the words Voldemort would never say aloud. He did not want to curse the girl. He did not want her to go crazy before revealing her secrets. He needed to keep his temper in check-even if it meant torturing a Death Eater before torturing the girl.

Of course, what Voldemort didn't understand, that was just enough torture-if not more, to Hermione. She cared about other people-more than she cared for herself. She even cared for Draco Malfoy, despite his use of the torture curse on her.

She didn't want to see him being tortured. She didn't want any one else be in pain.

Hermione remained silent. She couldn't meet his gaze. She wouldn't meet his gaze. Those red piercing eyes...They haunted her dreams. They filled her heart with fear. She could feel her breathing get deeper as she tried to calm herself down-was she truly this scared? This panic about what this...monster could do?

"Ms. Granger," Voldemort stated, stopping behind her and staring at the back of her matted light brown locks as though he was staring a whole into her head. He paused for a moment, waiting for her to turn around and look at him-waiting for her Gryffindor spirit to show.

But, alas, it did not show.

He took a few steps closer to the girl, his black shoes not even making a sound on the hard wood floor. "Ms. Granger," he whispered once more, but this time more assertive and into her right ear as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. He could feel the girl tense and tremble beneath his finger tips. He could feel the rapid heartbeat. How he fed on this fear. "You will face me when I talk to you," he whispered, his hand leaving her trembling shoulder as he walked away from the girl and returned to his previous spot.

Hermione caught her breath quickly and snapped out of the daze she had let herself become trapped in. She let him scare her. She had let him have complete control over her-not again. Not if she could help it. She slowly turned to face him and met his gaze with the fight she had just lost moments ago.

"Ah, so the Mudblood has manners," Voldemort chided with a sarcastic laugh, resulting a few humored laughs from the surrounding Death Eaters. Yet, they were short lived. This meeting was not a laughing manner. Not yet. "Does the Mudblood know that one should always listen to their elders and do as they are told?" Voldemort asked, his tone biting each and every word as he glared Hermione before him.

Her gaze hardened and her lips tensed together. No. She was not going to spill her secrets. No. No. Not at all. "An elder," Hermione replied quickly in the same smart and know-it-all tone that her classmates despised, "is a member of the community in which the people around respect and seek-"

Voldemort quickly raised his wand and flourished it through the air causing Hermione to fall to the ground from a gush of air. She landed on the ground with a hard thud and a small cry of surprise escaped her lips. The Gryffindor spirit in her was back.

"Enough." Voldemort's hiss like whisper came above the laughter that had swelled from the Death Eaters whom found amusement as Hermione was pushed to the ground. Silence immediately followed. Hermione quickly stood up, trying to regain some of her dignity but found it difficult as she meant eye contact with a few of the Death Eaters in front of her.

She looked away and tried to ignore the feeling inside that made her want to search for a comforting face. She knew there would be no face. There was no one here. Before the end of the year, perhaps, Snape...

But he was a traitor. He was helping the Death Eaters. Yet, his face was not to be found.

"Yes, Ms. Granger...look around..."Voldemort hissed, not moving from his spot as he watched Granger scan the crowd for something...anything. Yet, he could tell by her dismayed looked and the new found fear as she looked in his direction, that she was slowly understand her place. "There is no one here to help you..."

"Except myself," Hermione whispered, looking at Voldemort with a fearful, yet fighting look. Those were the same words he had told her earlier in the week. The same words he had made her repeat in order to truly understand the situation.

He explained it to her. Everything that would happen to her was her choice. If she would remain stubborn and resistant, then punishment would occur. Yet, if she complied to his wishes then less pain and less...discomfort would be given.

Of course, Hermione didn't believe a word he said. She was a Muggleborn. A Mudblood. He would kill her. He had no choice to kill her. He would torture her for existing. There was nothing else he could do. What else was there? Let her go?

Go where? To Headquarters?

They would follow her there. She wasn't stupid.

Voldemort's lips curled into a devious smirk that Draco could see out of the corner of his eye. It chilled him. He would never admit it, of course, but he feared for his classmate. The classmate he hated and the classmate he had often wished dead. But in this moment, he didn't wish that upon her. He did not want her death here...not in front of him. Not in his home.

And after this morning's encounter...he didn't know if he honestly wanted her dead.

"Exactly," Voldemort whispered looking at her with an expecting gaze. Now she should be telling her secrets. She shouldn't be quiet. The girl, in his opinion, should be crying and sobbing her secrets in hopes that it will save her from death-or at least, a painless death.

She would receive neither. She wouldn't die. And when she was sentenced to death-it would not be painless. She had been in a thorn in his side for too long. She had Harry Potter to thank for this.

"So, Ms. Granger," Voldemort hissed, his voice dripping with violence. "I ask the question once more," he continued as a smirk filled his face, "...in hopes I won't have to...hurt you." He had taken a few steps towards the girl who was as still as a statue. He traced his wand upon her pale face, watching her eyes glare at him but still flicker with fear. "I would hate for the last week's occurrence to happen once more."

He stepped away from the Gryffindor and let her ponder the question.

Her body trembled as she remembered what happened last week. It was nothing but pain. Blinding pain. Stinging tears. Aching bones.

"Where did Dumbledore and Potter go the night Dumbledore died?"

Her lips pursed together-almost rivaling McGonagall's, and shook her head. "I don't know," she simply stated, her voice hard and full of pride. She knew the answer with all of her heart. She knew she would never betray Harry.

Those words were memorized.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

It was the only answer she wanted to give. It was the only answer she could give without wanting to end her own life.

"You don't know? Ms. Granger. You are lying. Lord Voldemort knows you are hiding information from him." Voldemort hissed as he began circling the girl once more. He looked at her closely. She was trembling. The Gryffindor was...was a coward!

"I-" Hermione began to speak but stopped as Voldemort laid a strong hand upon her shoulder. She felt his sharp unkept nails dig slightly into her skin. Was everything centered around pain? The trembling continued and Voldemort chuckled before letting go of the girl and sending her a step away from him.

"Don't lie to me once more. What are you hiding?" he replied, his laughter ceasing and his serious demeaning shining once more. He stared at the girl, waiting impatiently for an answer. The Death Eaters around him were staring at the girl. They seemed to have understood the seriousness of the situation.

There was no longer the smirk that filled most of their faces. Instead, a greedy glaze was covering most of the Death Eaters. They were itching for her death. Despite the dark, candlelight room, both Voldemort and Hermione could see that.

"Nothing," Hermione whispered, staring at the open archway just behind the group of Death Eaters staring at her. She just wanted to go home. She didn't want to die. Keeping her foot rooted and her gaze fixed, she could feel her body trembling less. Was this the unknown Gryffindor strength? Or was this the slow understanding that she could truly do nothing?

Voldemort traced his wand upon the girl's back. His red slit eyes narrowed as he felt the girl tremble. "My patience is thinning, Ms. Granger," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Hermione pulled her head away as she felt his hot sticky breath upon her neck. Voldemort quickly grabbed her chin as she tried to move her head away. "What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing." Hermione stated staring at Voldemort's red eyes that stared into her soul. Did he see the fear swimming in this? Or the strength that she was now finding?

Voldemort yelled in fury as he pushed her away from him and onto the dark wood floor, "Crucio!"

Hermione's body filled with fire. She could feel her body attempted to fight the pain and find a more comfortable position-but nothing. There was no saving grace for the icy fire that filled her veins. She arched her back in pain and could hear her screams come quickly. She was not as strong as before. She couldn't keep her pain silenced as before.

The curse stopped quickly, but not quick enough. Hermione's cries echoed throughout the vast room as she stayed on the floor and coughed in pain. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks and clouded her vision.

There was so much pain.

"I'll ask you again, Ms. Granger. I'm feeling...merciful." Voldemort taunted which let a chuckle escape from the group of Death Eaters. The girl remained silent much to Voldemort's annoyance. "Ms. Granger..."he prompted as he took a few steps closer to her.

Hermione tensed as he heard Voldemort cruel steps come closer to her. Attempting to pick herself up, she cried out in pain and clenched her hands into a fist of frustration. "And I will tell you again. I don't know."

Voldemort motioned for the Death Eater closest to Hermione to lift her up. Dolohov obliged and lifted the girl off the floor so she was barely standing. The girl was limp in his arms. She was barely strong enough to lift her head-except her spirit. Dolohov could feel it inside of her. He could feel her lame attempts to escape his strong grasp.

They were lame, yes. But they were still there.

"Ms. Granger," Voldemort started as he walked to the girl who was limply standing in the arms of Dolohov. "Many wizards would be begging for the mercy I am bestowing on you. I am not killing you right away. I've caused you pain-but only because you continue to defy me."

Hermione shook her head and attempted to struggle away from the strong arms that tightened against her. Hermione quickly gave up and just lifted her head to face Voldemort with an anger filled gaze. "You've killed many good witches and wizards," she snapped coldly, her voice hoarse from screaming. "I would rather become one of them than tell you anything!" she finish, her tone raised and her breathing labored.  
>There. She said it.<p>

She was begging for death.

"So be it, Ms. Granger." Voldemort's voice was as cold as ice. Hermione looked away quickly. She didn't want to see the killing curse come towards. "Release her, Dolohov," he commanded. Hermione tried to brace herself as she fell to her knees but she slow moving. She didn't respond quick enough. She yelped as her knees hit the ground with a painful thud.

"Crucio!"

The pain came again and the pain swelled inside her. Her screams could not be fought this time. She felt her body collapse onto the hard wooden floor that offered her no solace. Her body writhed in the pain that was eating her alive once more but this time-the pain found her faster. Her mind was losing itself. She couldn't find her own thoughts. She couldn't find the reason to the pain.

The curse stopped but Hermione still trembled in pain. Pathetic soft cries escaped her lips as she seemed to forget that Death Eaters were around. She seemed to forget that the people in the room loved to see her in pain.

She stayed in her own mind for a few minutes until she became aware of the yelling and laughter that could be heard. They were...they were happy. They were happy she was in pain. They were happy the Mublood was being put in its place. Slowly she brought herself on all fours and attempted to calm herself.

"I know you know something," Voldemort hissed as he moved to her level on the floor and grabbed her chin painfully. Hermione gasped in pain as a fear tears leaked from her golden eyes. Voldemort cocked his head as though curious about her reaction. "There is no use hiding it. I will find out what you are hiding, Mudblood, and when I do..."he stopped and observed the girl whose eyes were glazed over with fear and understanding of her impending death.

That was not what he wanted. The fear was good, yes. But understanding...acceptance. That was not. He needed her to fear being dead. He needed to her to understand that there was more to life and sacrificing herself for Harry Potter was not the answer.

"Draco," Voldemort's harsh voice called the young man towards him as he pushed the girl to the floor. Once again, a fear cries of pain and frustration escaped the girl's trembling and pale lips. Voldemort smirked in response. Perhaps there was some hope. "Take her back to her cell. We are done for the evening. Remember my words, Mudblood. I will find out what you are hiding."

Hermione shook her head. Her raspy weak voice stopped Voldemort's swift exit from the room. "You won't." I promise.

Voldemort smirked as he turned back to Hermione Granger. Mudblood. A Member of the Golden Trio. He met her determined gaze with a smirk. Despite her being on the ground, she found her strength quickly. She found he control. "We will see, Ms. Granger. I will break you. Make no doubt about that."


End file.
